Khurshid denies IAC charges, will take Kejriwal to court

Law Minister Salman Khurshid has said that he will take IAC activist Arvind Kejriwal to court for alleging that he had siphoned off NGO funds.

Speaking to the NDTV news channel Khurshid said, "What they have done is worse than gutter snipes. The only answer they deserve is suitable suits filed in court - and that will be done both civil and criminal procedures."

He added, "I don't think Mr. Kejriwal deserves a reply from anybody. But we'll take care of Mr Kejriwal in due course, don't worry."

Arvind Kejriwal and India Against Corruption had alleged financial irregularities in the functioning of the Zakir Hussain Memorial Trust run by Union Law Minister Salman Khurshid.

'I have been waiting for a fight like this all my life' said the Minister to NDTV

Talking to reporters in Lucknow on Wednesday, IAC member Sanjay Singh alleged that large scale irregularities had emerged into grants given by the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment to the trust for the welfare of physically impaired people.

Singh alleged that instead of distributing the aid to disabled people the grant was embezzled by organising fake camps and through fake signatures of the officers. The story first came to light in a sting operation conducted by news channel Aaj Tak.

However Khurshid vehemently denied the charges to NDTV, saying, "Do you think I'm mad? Why would I embezzle funds from an organisation that I have been working for, for the last 15 years?"

The Law Minister added that those who lived in glass houses should not throw stones, saying that Kejriwal also had a lot of explaining to do. "Mr Kejriwal should first explain what he has been doing all his life. He should first explain where he gets his money from. How he lives, he should tell us how he travels. He should tell us what he has done with the funds that come. He should tell us why his wife is in Delhi for such a long time."

Meanwhile India Against Corruption activist Arvind Kejriwal said he would gherao the residence of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Friday.